Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-25

HON. w. L. SCOTT.
In the years gone by public men as soon
as their duties were finished hurried off
TO their distant homes, glad to escape the
discOmforts Of Washington. How
changed are their habits now. They
lingar, many of them, about the pleasant
avenues and lounge in the Hobbies of their
comfortable hotels, lOath TO leave this
beautiful city of magnificent distances.
Not Z few of the members, and nearly all
of the Senators, own o. rent residences,
and stay until the warm weather drives
them to mountain sud seaside. To them
these quiet months are, no doubt, the
pleaSantest Of the year. The rush and
roar and rattle OF Congress is over;
society is taking & rest after one Of its
most brilliant seasons, and the SOft,restful
atmosphere of g Washington spring acts
like a charm on their tired faculties.
Among the Well-knOWn members OF the
last Congress who will spend these de-
lighttul months in Washington, IS William
L. Scott, of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Scott
has been much talked about of late as Mr..
Manning's successor to the Treasury port
folio, and the knowing ones declare that
he has more reasons than one in staying
here after the adjournment Of Congress.
There is hardly doubt but what he is
being considered for some important post,
for he has had 8 number Of interviews
with the President and his name is on the
lips Of every one in Washington. Should
he be called to the Cabinet, the Republic
cans will gain q seat In the House next
session, for the district he represents has
a Republican majority, though Mr.. Scott
has been twice sent to Congress from it.
The personal history of the PennsYlVa
ria congressman reads like q page from
some old-time romance. To-day at fifty
eight he is the possessOr of Sl5,000,000,
the richest man in Congress, and the en-
ployer of 10000 men. Thirty years ago
he was pepniless man, peddling fish
about the streets of Erie. His early life
and WandeTirgs make q singular story.
He himself knows very little about his
birth snd the first years of his life. He is
the son of q colonel in the regular army,
q VirginiaD by birth and education,
though resident in Washington at the
time young Scott was born. So that the
Pennsylvania congressman has the unique
distinction Of being the only member who
was born at the capital. Both Colonel
Scott and his wife died while
their son was yet mere lad.
They were in poor circumstances, and
the boy was turned out into the world to
shift for himself. The first Of his numer-
Gus occupations that he can remember
was when early in his teens he found
himself page in the House of Repre-
sentstives. He was popular with the
members, obliging and polite in his man
ners, like many of the little fellows are
to-day, and made many friends among
the congressman. Mr.. Reed, who then
the Erie district in the
House, took great interest in the bright
little fellow, and towards the end Of the
session he asked him if he wouldn't like
to 60 home with him. Having nowhere
else to 90 when Congress adjourned,
Scott complied, and was put to work as
shipping clerk on the whaTves of his en-
ployer, who was at that time one Of the
principal owners Of the now almost van
ishlng shipping Of the great lakes.